Iraq to name Kurd new president

Leader to have Shiite, Sunni vice presidents

Posted: Wednesday, April 06, 2005

By Associated Press

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Ousted dictator Saddam Hussein will watch from his Baghdad jail cell as Iraq's newly elected parliament chooses a new president Wednesday, the next step in building Iraq's first democratically elected government in 50 years, Iraqi officials said.

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Lawmakers put the finishing touches Tuesday on an agreement making Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani president and Shiite Adel Abdul-Mahdi and interim President Ghazi al-Yawer, a Sunni Arab, his two vice presidents.

On Thursday, the 275 lawmakers elected Jan. 30 likely will name Shiite leader Ibrahim al-Jaafari prime minister, clearing the way for lawmakers to begin focusing their attention on writing a permanent constitution by their Aug. 15 deadline.

The new, interim government will lay the foundation for future elections and a permanent government - all key to an eventual U.S. withdrawal.

The U.S. military said four service members were killed Monday and Tuesday in one of its biggest losses in recent weeks. As of Monday, at least 1,536 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

Interim Vice President Rowsch Nouri Shaways said Saddam will be able to see the parliamentary session from his jail cell, although it was unclear if the broadcast will be live or taped. U.S. military officials declined to comment.

"This is a very important session because this is the first time in Iraq's history that the president and his deputies are elected in a legitimate and democratic way by the Iraqi people," he said.